True Swing Golf Review - DS

Golf games seem like a natural fit for the Nintendo DS. Its dual-screen and touch-screen functionalities are the perfect tools for a developer to offer a golf game like no other. T&E Soft’s True Swing Golf answered the call for such a game. While the basic controls are great in theory, their execution falls was short of what could have been. This flaw, combined with bland presentation, glitchy graphics, and a poor upgrade system makes True Swing Golf nothing more than a glorified tech demo.

Too Early Swing

It’s a shame that this game didn’t have a few more months of development. The basic ingredients for a good game are there. The controls take advantage of the both the dual screen and touch screen functions. On the top screen, you get a 3D view of the course. On the bottom, you select where and how you hit the ball. As expected, you’ll use the stylus to determine the strength, direction, and spin of your stroke. It’s really simple and intuitive. Unfortunately, there’s a disproportionate lack of nuance in the controls. After getting over the initial novelty of them, you’ll feel like you’re tracing lines over and over again, instead of making critical adjustments that ensure perfect swings.

The multiplayer options are fun, but are crippled from bland characters and a poor upgrade system. There are a number of games you can play with one or multiple cartridges. Sadly, there isn’t a character creation system or real players for you to compete with. You’re stuck with generic characters that do nothing to connect you with the action. They all play the same too and there aren’t any stats for you increase, which would have added some differentiation. Upgrades only take place in the single-player championship mode, where you can buy various gear that changes your character’s play. It definitely would have been better if the characters had varying initial attributes that could be changed through gameplay, as well as bolstered by additional gear.

One Caddy Short

When it comes down to it, True Swing Golf is a game with a lot of potential that it mostly failed to live up to. From the bland characters and bland graphics to the underdeveloped control system to the weak upgrades, there isn’t much to this game. Sure, the controls are fun to play around with at first, but only as a novelty. After that, there’s nothing to keep you playing the game. You can think of True Swing Golf as an underdeveloped retail product or an overdeveloped tech demo. Either way, it’s not a lot of fun.